• A democratically elected rep is every worker’s legal right

    Last week Mr. A came to me for a labor consultation. “I have worked for Company A for nearly three years,” he said, “and recently I received an email from human resources announcing an election for workers’ rep (jūgyōin daihyō). The email said that the rep’s job would be to communicate the opinion of the…

  • 芝浦工業大学、講師のストは、第2週に入る SIT Teacher Strike Enters Second Week

    「私たちは、ストライキの第2週に入りました。学生たちからのご支援と御関心は、本当に心強いです。多くの学生から話しかけられたり、質問をされたり、ホームページを閲覧したり、諦めるなという励ましの言葉もいただきました。学生らのご支援さえあれば、失われそうな職を守るまで闘い続けられると思います。」 全国一般東京ゼネラルユニオン(略称 「東ゼン労組」) 芝浦工業大学教職員組合 執行委員長 アンソニー・ドーラン ”We have moved into our second week striking. The encouragement and interest of the students has been really uplifting. Many students have talked to us, asked us questions, visited our website, and told us not to give up. With the students’ support, we can keep this strike going until our jobs…

  • 芝浦工業大学の講師は労働紛争に入った! ~ Shibaura Institute of Technology Teachers on Strike!

    2013年に芝浦工業大学(SIT)の講師は全国一般東京ゼネラルユニオン(東ゼン労組)でSIT支部を結成した。講師の労働条件の改善を目指して、大学に対して団体交渉を開いた。しかし、大学は、突然、「来年度から英語カリキュラムを変更する。来年度は改めて応募せよ。」と一方的に告げました。これはつまり、すべての組合に加盟している講師がクビになることを意味します。 In 2013 Shibaura Institute of Technology (SIT) teachers formed the SIT Local at Zenkoku Ippan Tokyo General Union (Tozen Union). The union started collective bargaining with the university to improve working conditions for the staff. But then suddenly the university announced that they would “change the English curriculum” and that teachers could “reapply for…

  • ICC Silent Protest in Yokohama

    ICC Silent Protest in Yokohama

    今日、私たちは東ゼン組合員ブルキッチ・スレイマンを解雇し日本の労働者を苦しめているICC外語学院−彼はそこで22年間も働いていたのです−に対するサイレントプロテスト(無言の抗議)を実施しました。彼は、有給休暇と社会保険を要求した後、違法に解雇されました。連帯して来てくれた皆さん、本当にありがとうございました! Today we held a silent protest against icc language school for violating Japanese labor by firing Tozen member Sulejman Brkic who worked there for 22 years. He was illegally fired after he requested paid holidays and social insurance and pension. Thank you very much everyone for coming in solidarity!

  • AKB48 members deserve to get workers’ comp for saw attack

    AKB48 members deserve to get workers’ comp for saw attack

    On May 25, a man wielding a saw attacked and wounded 19-year-old Rina Kawaei and 18-year-old Anna Iriyama, two members of bumper girl group AKB48, and a male staffer at an event where fans get to shake hands with their AKB idols. Fortunately the injuries were minor, but fans were shocked. The victims and their…

  • Continuing GABA Dispute
  • Japanese firms have much to lose in battles over bogus outsourcing

    Japanese firms have much to lose in battles over bogus outsourcing

    What is a gyōmu itaku contract? It is basically an outsourcing contract: A company decides it cannot handle a certain job itself, so it outsources the work to another company — or an individual. Individuals on gyōmu itaku contracts are not considered rōdōsha (employees/workers) in the legal sense, and are thus not protected by the…

  • ICCに対する次の裁判の期日 ~ ICC Court Date

    ICCに対する次の裁判の期日 ~ ICC Court Date

    東ゼン労祖はICCという外国語学校に対して紛争中です。ICCは、昨年、ブルキッチ組合員を違法に解雇しました。 我々の次の法廷は、6/12(木)13:10 より、横浜地方裁判所502号室です。 みなさんの連帯をよろしくお願いします。 Tozen union is currently in dispute with language school ICC over their illegal firing of Sulejman Brkic. Our next court hearing in TOZEN vs. ICC LANGUAGE SCHOOL is on JUNE 12 at 13:10 at Yokohama District Court room 502. All supporters are welcome to attend.

  • Foreign workers fear exploitation as Olympic projects gather steam

    Foreign workers fear exploitation as Olympic projects gather steam

    My first Labor Pains column of the new fiscal year will look at the government’s recent proposal for bringing in foreign workers. Various proposals on easing immigration restrictions for foreign workers have been bandied about in recent years, but they were inevitably scrapped because “Japan is but a tiny island nation.” (In fact, Japan is…